SINN Fein's Mr Gerry Kelly told delegates at the party's ardfheis yesterday that a "prerequisite to successful negotiations for conflict resolution is that they may be inclusive of all parties to that conflict"
Mr Kelly, who is standing in North Belfast in the Westminster election, spent time outlining the electoral successes of Sinn Fein and said what they represented could not be ignored.
"Republicans took risks for peace, made changes happen and, in our activity of the last few years, have sent the revisionists, at least temporarily, into hiding," said Mr Kelly.
Vice-president Mr Pat Doherty, who is standing in the new West Tyrone constituency in the UK general election, said the people Sinn Fein represented must be heard and would be heard. Meanwhile, the Monaghan Sinn Fein Councillor, Mr Caoimhghin & Caolain, said: "We are holding our ardfheis this year at a time of great flux and uncertainty, but what is certain is Sinn Fein's absolute commitment to our strategy for peace and our determination not to be deflected from it by those who want to return it to the past."